Hysteria

I bought this looking for an alternative-to-mainstream spring/summer fragrance and boy did I get just that. At first, I thought it would be something I would have to gift to my mom. Aldehydic, a bit floral, green bitterness.... but I had my nose too close to the source. Step back, and this thing comes alive. It is slightly soapy, definitely green, not sweet at all. It is so different from what is normally encountered these days that it took a while to appreciate, but-stupid me-that is just what I wanted! Hysteria is a great fragrance. I will qualify that statement though- if you enjoy green, slightly bitter, lightly soapy fresh scents with a hint of indolic florals, it is a great fragrance. If not, stick with the Bleu de Colognes.

I have had this juice for well over 2 years now and find it a complete winner. It does lean slightly feminine (magnolia and lily of the valley are strong) to start but does turn more unisex once the floral notes die down. It is a long lasting scent on my skin with 2 solid hours of projection and 8 hours of longevity. For the current price ($32 for 30 ml) I would say it is a great value. Enjoy!

The Awakening of an Icon There are scents that whisper; then there are those that demand to be heard. Hysteria does not merely sit upon the skin; it awakens a dormant legacy. From the first breath, the atmosphere shifts. This is not just an olfactive experience; it is the resurrection of a mythic fragrance in all its glory.

A very pleasing light floral, with a nice combination of fruit notes but that somehow doesn't fall into the cloying ultrafemininity of most floral-fruity fragrances. (In fact, this is perfectly unisex.) It's not quite the same thing as the original and much missed Givenchy Insensé, which it is meant to duplicate, but it's close enough. Its downside is that it doesn't really project much; but if you spray it more than you do most scents, you'll be okay.

Second Look: This fragrance lacks the strength of Insense Givenchy in the opening but resembles it in the dry-down. My first comment was that this is watered down. It is not. Just wait until the dry-down and you will smell the real beauty in this very good fragrance. 7.5/10

I bought it,(2 years ago,never get it attention as it should probably get)as i wanted to know how does Insense smells like,which I haven’t tried,but wanted to.I love vintage frags.Well,I can say it’s verrry floral,soapy ,aldehydic and green,so if you’re not in a floral in fragrances,this is not for you.It’s perfect for spring/summer,and according to that floral note,very unisex.Love it,as it has that retro vibe.I can not compare it to anything,as i haven’t encountered something similar in man’s fragrance teritory.I can understand why it was ahead of time,or released in a wrong moment,so the selling points were dissapointing,(and I don’t think that in Alexandria fragrances will be a strong selling product,just opposite,but I’m glad I bought it)as at that time aquatic fragrances were playing a major role at the market.The performance is great!I don’t know if i’m ever going to come across the Insense,as it would be a redundand purchase,as Alexandria makes a great “inspired by” fragrances.Today is sunday,May,sunny day and it will be my SOTD.:)

No, nothing like Aventus. However, I do own Givenchy Insense vintage, and this is by no means a dead ringer, but it has nuances of Insense. Insense gives me a brown, coumarin dried leaves feeling, but this is much greener and alive. If you like things like Givenchy Insense, give this a try, I think you will love it. Very herbal and bright! This is a very nice surprise. Hany, you have a gift. When (and if) this virus thing slows down, I want to meet you Mr. Hafez. I have a deep admiration for your work and your amazing nose.

This smells very nice. I just love the balance of green and floral notes in Hysteria. I never had the chance to try Givenchy Insense which is the inspiration for this fragrance. There is only one fragrance in my collection which smells similar to Hysteria: Mario Valentino Ocean Rain. That fragrance has a sublime rose oakmoss accord. Ocean Rain can still be found on Ebay for less than $100 if you cannot find Insense.

It will be a clone of Aventus definitely!